Panicking car salesman was three times drink-drive limit after downing vodka at home when he went to rescue girlfriend who said she had been spiked on night out, court hears
- Thomas Edwards was at home in Worcester drinking vodka with no plan to go out
- Court heard he went into ‘panic mode’ on hearing his girlfriend had been spiked
- He was three times the limit when he was pulled over while driving to pick her up
- Court ordered him to undergo alcohol treatment and banned him from driving
A car salesman went into ‘panic mode’ when he got a call telling him his girlfriend had been spiked and jumped in his car to pick her up, despite being three-times the legal drink drive limit.
Thomas Edwards was drinking vodka at home with no intention of going out when he got a call from his partner saying she felt unwell and believed she had been spiked.
The court heard the ‘panicked’ 30-year-old made a ‘snap wrong decision’ when he jumped in his Skoda and drove to meet his girlfriend but was pulled over by police in Worcester city centre on January 8.
A roadside breath test showed he had 105mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath – three times over the legal limit of 35mcg – which dropped to a later reading at the police station of 100mcg.
Edwards, of Worcester, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court on Monday.
The court heard Edwards, who had no relevant previous convictions, had lost his job at a car showroom as a result of the case.
Thomas Edwards (pictured) ‘went into panic mode’ after getting a call saying his girlfriend had been spiked and jumped in his car to pick her up despite the fact he had been drinking vodka
Jason Patel, defending, said: ‘On the evening in question he had been drinking alcohol at home and had no intention of going out.
‘His partner had gone out with friends for a meal and had not drunk excessively. However, she became unwell. It was suspected she had been spiked.
‘A friend called Mr Edwards and asked him to come and collect her. There was no suggestion of anything untoward in the manner of the driving.
‘Following the incident he has come straight into his employer where he works in car sales. Unfortunately they have let him go instantly.
‘He accepts he has an issue with alcohol.’
A probation officer, who interviewed Edwards, said he ‘went into panic mode after continual calls from a friend’ about his partner.
At Worcester Magistrates Court, Edwards was ordered to undergo alcohol treatment as part of a 12 month community order while magistrates also banned him from driving for two years
The officer said: ‘He straight away went to pick her up. She was, as he puts it, “in a state” and the plan was to get her home.
‘It was a snap wrong decision. He did not know of any other options at the time.
‘He’s now unemployed and is concerned about getting employment in regard to being able to pay the mortgage in future.’
Edwards was given a 12 month community order to include six months of alcohol treatment, 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was also ordered to pay court costs totalling £230 and banned from driving for two years.